Worse Ways To Die
by Cpt. Ritter
Summary: There are worse ways to die, than in the arms of your love.


Title: Worse Ways To Die  
Author: cptritter  
Pairing: Sheppard/Teyla  
Rating: PG-13/T  
Recipient: Nicole (nicole9514)   
Request: 'John/Teyla stranded alone somewhere' and 'John/Teyla fic with John injured'  
Spoilers: The Long Goodbye, Sateda  
Warnings: Character Whump, some blood, nothing more than PG-13/T rated  
Author's Notes: Noe really

John coughed hoarsely, spewing blood onto the snow. The temperature wasn't bad. Well, for being snow anyway. He was thankful he'd brought the leather jacket this time, and worn a heavy shirt. The Jumper was behind him, still smoking.

"You are hurt," Teyla said, coming to his side as he spewed more blood onto the ground.

"I'm fine," John replied, trying to get back up and moving. The jumper could explode at any time and he didn't want to be near it. "We've got to get away from it before..." He spewed blood again, ragged coughing.

"You are not fine," Teyla replied, taking one of the survival kits he was holding and helping him to his feet.

She was graceful even carrying so much, including him. John knew as much. He struggled to keep his legs under him, even though pain shot through his body with each step. "Something doesn't feel right," He gasped as he dropped from her grasp, not even able to hold onto the one survival kit as he fell.

"John!" Teyla yelled, kneeling down beside him.

"Go on, get out of here!" John yelled back, rolling onto his back to avoid coughing up more blood. He wasn't exactly sure what he'd plowed into when the jumper crashed. They'd been hit by some kind of wraith stationary gun, direct hit, a sentry of some sort.

He'd managed to get the jumper as far away from it as possible, trying to reach the Stargate on the far side of the planet. They'd made it about half-way before the jumper started losing power, from there it's engine had slowly shut down, to when it crashed.

The impact had sent him flying through the cockpit window and out into the snow, roughly impacting on a sheet of ice. Shear adrenaline had kept him going long enough to retrieve his P90 from the snow, while Teyla grabbed survival kits from the jumper. They'd split the load until he'd fallen.

Then they ran, getting as far away as they could. He guessed they had about 200 meters between them and the jumper. Rodney had gone on and on about what would happen if a jumper exploded, and John was now beating himself up because he hadn't listened. All he knew was that it was going to be a big explosion.

"I don't know how big the explosion will be!" John yelled, grabbing onto Teyla outstretched arms. "You have to get out of here!"

"Not without you," Teyla said, dragging him back to his feet.

He gritted his teeth as the pain shot through his sure to be damaged ribs. Every muscle in his body screamed. It made it impossible for him to move of his own accord. He was dead weight, and somehow Teyla was not only supporting his weight, which was at least 50 pounds heavier than hers, but carrying two of the survival kits also.

The jumper exploded, sending a searing wave of heat their way. The snow melted beneath there feet and the shock wave knocked them both to the ground. John landed on top of Teyla, his body screaming in protest, then it all went black.

XXX

Teyla swore in the most color dialect of the Athosians as she awoke to a searing headache. Her P90 was pressed tightly against her chest, by John's unmoving weight. She gently rolled him over, trying to get a picture of what had happened.

She remembered the explosion and the shock wave. Yet when she looked back all she saw was a large body of water, surrounded in ice. She crawled to her feet, grabbing the two survival kits.

She knelt beside John, looking down at his still form. He was alive, a quick check of his pulse confirmed it. It was not steady though, but rapid, not healthy for someone unconscious. She placed a hand on his neck, it was warm to her touch.

How long they had both been unconscious she couldn't tell. Her watch was smashed beyond repair. She didn't take it off though, anything could become a tool of survival, eventually. She glanced at their surroundings. There was still snow everywhere, cold to the touch, and a fierce wind.

She zipped her leather jacket up as tightly as it could. The leather the jacket was made of reflected most of the cold wind and her hair helped keep her head warm. Even with her natural resilience to cold weather, she wasn't sure how long she'd last without shelter.

A small outcropping of rock was the closest thing she could see that could provide shelter. It was still a good distance away and she had to carry John there, unless she could wake him up. She gently shook him and his eyes snapped open, and were immediately scrunched back up in pain.

"What the hell hit me?" He said, more to himself than to her.

"Can you stand?" She asked.

"I think so," John grunted and then rolled over, crawling to his feet. He swayed before he got off his knees, however he didn't stop, standing up completely. "Head, ribs, hurt." He muttered.

Teyla reached out a free arm to help steady him as they started walking, carrying the two survival kits by balancing one under her armpit while the other was held in her hand. He stumbled more than walked, but she wasn't sure she could've carried him the whole way.

The outcropping provided a shelter from the wind, with large boulders on both sides. The cold air still entered, but it wasn't a direct flow. That alone warmed her. She placed the two survival kits on the ground, then helped John sit down, letting him lean against the back of the cave.

"Okay, note to self, listen to McKay next time," John mumbled.

"And yet let his head swell further?" Teyla said with a small smile.

John stared in shock for second, before laughing and coughing at the same time. "Yeah."

Teyla smiled. "It is usually advisable to listen to what Doctor McKay has to say."

"How are we doing on supplies?" John said, gasping for air.

"We have two survival kits," Teyla replied, feeling for his pulse again, it hadn't change. "You should lie down."

She carefully set John down on the level ground. She was sure it was cold, but his injuries were a higher priority. He was still gasping for air, and it concerned her. She knew that John was unlikely to tell anyone that he was injured, his priorities were for everyone around him first.

"Are your ribs injured?" Teyla asked.

"Yeah," John said quietly. "I'll be fine if I don't move. Is there anything to make a fire with?"

"I will look, however I believe there will be little available firewood," She stood.

John reached a hand up to touch her leg. "Don't go beyond radio range."

Teyla nodded, then set off.

XXX

"There is no suitable firewood for as far as I can see." Teyla said when she returned ten minutes later.

It had felt like an hour. All John wanted to do was sleep, even though he knew that would be bad, at least until he was sure he didn't have a concussion. The only thing that kept him awake was the fear that if he fell asleep he probably wouldn't wake up again. And movement definitely kept him awake.

"That's not good." He said, wincing as he worked to set up the cooking fire. They had to warm their water somehow, and there was enough of the cooking fire's flame to last them for awhile. Long enough to thaw some water.

"I am sorry." She said, helping him with the base to the cooking fire.

"Its not your fault." John replied, swallowing. The harsh coughing seemed to have subsided, either that or he was just swallowing it. "We'll be overdue in a day, Elizabeth will send another jumper. We've just gotta stay alive." He lay back on his back, letting Teyla finish the work.

He was on his back for less than a minute before he rolled over. He crawled over to the wall. "Lying down makes me want to sleep." He muttered while sitting up against it.

Teyla moved to sit beside him. "It will soon be dark."

"That doesn't bode well for us." John replied, unconsciously leaning up against her. "If its cold now... its gonna get a lot colder."

Teyla in turn leaned into him, resting her head on his shoulder. "We will survive."

"I'm not certain if I have a concussion, so I've gotta stay awake for a bit longer, at least until we're sure. Could you warm up some water?" John shivered involuntarily.

Within minutes Teyla had near boiling water in the small pot above the cooking fire. John sat as close to it as he could, curled into a ball, laying on his side so that he rested almost comfortably, his head resting on one of the survival kits as a pillow.

She used one of the cups to get some of the water out of the bigger bowl and moved next to him, gently sitting him up. By now, he was having difficulty feeling his legs, his arms, every part of his body felt numb.

He tried to bring his hands up to hold the cup, but his stubborn muscles refused to contract around the cup. Teyla used her free hand to help him wrap his around it. He doubted it was strong enough to hold it, but he felt better with the tiny bit of warmth going to his skin.

He locked eyes with her as she helped him bring the cup to his mouth and drink a tiny bit of it. It burned down the back of his throat, but it felt better than the numbness that was creeping everywhere. Slowly, he drank the whole cup.

She moved to refill the cup. He could feel the limited warmth spread a little warming his chest.

"No Teyla, you first." He said, his voice hoarse.

Teyla looked at the water in the cooking fire, then nodded. She carefully sipped some of the water before filling it again, and then offering it to him. He drank it, not having the strength to protest. He hated feeling weak, useless.

"Is it helping?" She asked, filling him his fourth cup.

"Sorta." John replied. "I still can barely feel my legs or my arms, but... I feel a bit warmer."

"Conserve your strength, the temperature will continue to drop."

She was right, the sun was going down, and he had long ago started to feel the effects of the cold. It was invading him, even through the thick shirt and leather jacket. He wondered how Teyla seemed immune to it. She'd loosened her hair so that it fell to her shoulders, and zipped her jacket up the entire way, but she hadn't shivered or gave any indication she was cold.

"You alright?" He asked.

"On Athos we endured many extreme temperature changes during the winter nights. However, this cold is much worse than anything I have felt before."

"You didn't answer my question." John said, coughing.

"I am cold." Teyla replied.

"Come here."

She slid across the cold ground to sit next to him, her arms wrapping around him. "In the coldest of days we would gather in groups like this." Teyla whispered.

John could feel their shared body heat combining to make them both warmer, even if only near the places were they were touching. He barely noticed her hand take his, rubbing them to warm them. His skin was extremely pale and he knew he was losing feeling.

"Teyla... if I don't make it..."

"You will." Teyla said, interrupting him.

"Just... let me finish." John took a deep breath. "If I don't make it... there's a small box in my desk... inside it is... is a gift for you."

"John..." Teyla said cautiously.

"You can also have the football tape... keep it safe from McKay."

"John... you will not die." Her voice shook slightly.

"Teyla... I said I'd die for you." He looked down at her. "I meant it. Thalen told you that..." He coughed. "That I cared for you... he wasn't lying."

"I know." Teyla said quietly, her head resting against his neck.

"Trust me Teyla, there are worse ways to die." He gently rested his head against her.

"I will not accept your death, not yet." Teyla said, her voice trembling.

"Never said I wanted you to accept it. You just needed to know that." John said, closing his eyes.

The next sensation he felt was Teyla's lip, gently brushing against his. "There is a story that is told to Athosian children, that two warriors of joined hearts, that one can keep the other alive by the power of their love alone."

"Good story." John murmured, his near limp arms draping slowly around Teyla's warm body.

"When we return to Atlantis... it will be more than a story."

"I'm holding you to that." John settled down next to Teyla, his limp arms draped around her so that he could sleep in warmth, his head buried in her soft hair. In less than a minute, darkness claimed him.

XXX

Beep, beep, beep. There was a steady drone of beeping in the background. John shook his head, trying to clear it. His vision remained fuzzy, but he felt warm, very warm. The cold was gone. There were some bright lights above him. For a second he thought he was dead, till he recognized the heart monitor was the source of the beeping.

His vision slowly cleared. He was in the infirmary, warm, safe and secure. He looked to his side, and saw Teyla asleep next to him, her hands entwined with his, her head resting on his pillow. He allowed himself to smile.

"Thanks Teyla." He whispered.

She awoke with a start, her head coming up in mild shock. The shock was immediately replaced with a full smile. "You are awake."

"Yeah." He said. "How long have you been here?"

"She's hasn't left your side since she got back." Carson said, coming to the other side of John's bed. "Glad to see you're awake Colonel, you were lookin' quite blue when Major Lorne brought you back."

"That bad." John replied, still talking softly, but a trace of his sarcasm coming through.

"But you're going to be fine Colonel." Carson said, patting John's shoulder as a doctor would. "You and Teyla sharing body heat was what saved you. I've bandaged your ribs, fixed the internal damage, all in plenty of time."

"There was internal?"

"Nothing major." Carson replied. "I'd like to keep you here for at least a few more days, but I don't think they will be any lack of company. Rodney and Ronon have been by a lot, so has Elizabeth."

"Thanks Carson." John replied.

"Don't mention it lad." Carson left.

John turned back to Teyla, giving her hand a squeeze. "Teyla... that present... is still for you. Once I get out of here, I'll give it too you."

Teyla's grin widened. "I look forward to it."

"Good." John straightened his back. "Teyla, about what I said..."

"I understand Colonel, you were reaching out before your death." Teyla replied too quickly.

"Teyla... I meant every word." He squeezed her hand. "I mean it."

Teyla didn't say anything for a bit, then she squeezed his hand in return. "Thank you John Sheppard, for everything you did say."


End file.
